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Garry Regulars will know that the Garry has been the source of long standing access issues. In the past two years, the freshet has been moved around so that the release is not always predictable. This has resulted in two things: Firstly, groups expecting to be able to paddle at a regular time are disappointed to turn up and find dry conditions. Secondly, Scottish and Southern Energy, caught between wishes of the Fishery Board and the other users of the Garry, have not been forthcoming with information about the releases. Occasionally, the SSE Generating Room will hand over information about releases on the phone, more usually they won't. Local rafting companies, who have a financial agreement with the landowner to use the freshet for rafting, are not encouraged to make this information public and can feel compromised by requests for information. The result is subterfuge, uncertainty and strained relationships between the parties involved. Easter has always been a difficult time as the landowner's key fishing times are April and May - last year (2001) the release was cancelled altogether. This year (April 2002) there were lots of paddlers in the Fort William area and on one date at least, paddlers on the Garry were met by a couple of 'persons', turning folk back at the upper gate and allegedly telling then that they couldn't paddle as anglers were using the river and were expecting to have it for their exclusive use. It is not clear how effective this deterrence was - certainly some people did not attempt to get on; others accessed using the footpaths along the river right bank. But there is a strong recognition that access uncertainties of this nature undermine the local economy, and deter people from coming back. Paddling is increasingly viewed as a key component of the tourist economy. The position as far as the SCA is concerned is that paddlers do have a right to access the river from both banks, regardless of whether your way is blocked by signs, gates or even 'minders'! The Police are aware of the circumstances and have made the party behind the recent problem of 'deterrence', aware that they or their representatives are not entitled to use physical force to remove someone from private property. They suggest that you avoid getting into conversations that might result to breach of the peace (keep your cool, in other words) but they are clear that the dispute between paddlers and anglers isn't a matter for the criminal law. So, please continue to assert your right to paddle - if there is water there in the Garry in the first place, naturally! We are trying to resolve the issues so be patient and we will keep you updated. Please report any access incidents by email to the river adviser Andy Jackson and copy the information to Fran Pothecary, SCA Access Officer There is also a leaflet in circulation giving a false picture of paddling on the Garry suggesting that paddling is only allowed by permit obtainable from the Invergarry Hotel. This is not the case. The SCA have been in touch with Forest Enterprise who are one of the public bodies behind the leaflet, and have discovered that they have already re-published the leaflet without the misleading information. Contributed
by A Jackson, River Adviser
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